Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20

have some with hot water and lemon,
George 2" The servants are all at the
theatre Gerald begged holiday for
them-but Barnes will get You the
things in u minute"
"1hank you | won't trouble him.
/ will take rome with cold wnter," |
replied, thinking I should gain in this
way " hat | wanted-time to think five
minutes to myself while they played.
But was out in my reckoning. 81
will have mine now, too" he said.
"Will you mix it, Gerald? ?"
Gerald jumped up to do II with tole-
rable alacrity. i sat still, preferring to
help myself, when he should have at
tended to his father-if his father it
was. i felt more easy now that / had
those papers in mypocket The more
| thought Of it the more certain j be-
came that they were the object
aimed at by whatever deviltry was on
foot, and that the possession OF them
rave me the whiphand. Ny young
gentleman might snarl and show his
teeth, hut the prize had escaped him.
Perhaps / was q little too conf
dent little too contemptuous of my
opponent q little too proud of the
firmness With which / had taken at
one and the same time the response
bility and the post of vantage. A
creak of the board behind the screen
reused me from my thoughts. 1t fell
uron my ear trumpet-tongued sud
den note of warning. l glanced up
with start, and conviction that |
was being caught mapping, and looked
instinctively toward the young man.
He was busy at the tray, his back to
me. Relieved of my fear of | did not
not know what-perhaps a desperate
attack upon my pocket, | was re-
moving my eyes, when, in doing so,
/ caught sight of his reflection IN a
small mirror beyond him. All
What was he busy about? Nothing.
Absolutely nothing, at the moment.
II was standing motionless-I could
fancy him breathless alsO-a strange,
listening expression on his face ; which
seemed to me to have faded 10 a gray
ish tinge. His left hand was clasping a
halffilled tumbler the other was at
his waistcoat pocket. So he stood
during perhaps a second or two, a
small lamp upon the tray before him
illuming his handsome figure and
then his eyes, CHANGING up, met the re-
Election of mine in the mirror. Swiftly
as the thought itself could pass from
brain TO limb, the hand which had been
resting in the pocket flashed with clat-
ter among the glasses, and turning
almost as quickly, he brought one OF
the latter to the chess-table and set 1t
down unsteadily.
What had / seen? Nothing, actually
nothing. just what Gerald had been
doing. Yet my heart was going as
many strokes to the minute as losing
crew. / rose abruptly.
wait a moment, sir, ! said, as the
elder man laid his hand upon the glass,
81 don't think that Gerald has mixed
this quite as you like it. "
He had already lifted it to his lips. i
looked from him to Gerald. That young
genileman's color, though he faced me
hnrdily, shifted more than once, and
he seemed to be swallowing success
son Of diversified fves balls but his
tvcs met mine in q vicious kind Of
smile that was not without its giolm OF
triumph. ] was persuaded that all was
right. even before his father said so.
"Pcrhsps you have mixed for me,
CeIald?" / suggested pleasantly.
moi" he answered in suIlen de-
farce. He filed a glass with some.
thing-perhaps it was water-and
drank it, his back toward me. lie had
not spoken so much as a single word to
ne before.
The blind mans ear recognized the
tone now. 81 wish you boys would
agree better, he said YEARLY. Ger
cid, 90 to bed. l would as soon play
chess with an idiot from Earlswood.
Generally you can play the game ii
YOU are good for nothing else; but
since your brother came in you have
not made a move which any one not an
irnEecile would make. Go to bed, boy
Go TO bed !"
| had stepped TO the table while he
was speaking. One of the glasses was
full. I lifted it with seeming uncon-
cern TO my nose. There was whiskey
in il AS well as water Then had Gerald
mixed for me? At any rate put the
,umbler aside and helped myself afresh.
When set the glass down empty my
ind was made up.
"Gerald does not seem inclined &c
move. sir, so. | WILL" said, quietly
IL will call III the morning and discuss
Tie matter if it will suit You. But to.
night / feel inclined to get to bed
,arly." ,
"Quite right, my boy. / would ash
Won TO take bed here, instead OF turn
ing out, but | suppose that Laura vii
lie expecting you. Come IN any time
tomorrow morning. Shall Barnes cal
a cab for you ?"
81 think l will walk, | answered
shaking the profered hand. by th'
way, SIR" l added, Z" have you hearC
Who is the new Home Secretary
eyes, Henry Matthews" he replied
" Gerald told me. He had heard it a
the club" $50,
at is to be hoped that he will hav'
30 womanish scruples about capita
punishment" l said as if ! were Incl
tentally considering the appointment
And with that last shot at 6lr. Gerald
lie turned green, l thought, q colo
which does not 60 well with a blacl
roustache-I walked ont Of the room
so peaceful, so coy, so softly hghte'
80 il locked, ] remember, and dow
.tairs. hoped that | had paralyze'
he young fellow, and might ieave tn
louse without molestation.
Fut as / gained the foot OF the stair
lie tapped me on the shoulder. SAY
then. looking at him, that ] had ms
taken nv man. Every trace Of the sal
lon defiance which had marked his man
Fer throughout the interview up"stair
vas gone. His face was still pale, bu
il wore gentle smile as we conironte
enc another under the hall lamp. 8"
rave not the pleasure OF knowing You
hut let me thank you for your help,
lie said in a low voice, yet with kin
Of frank spcntaneity. "Barnes's Idle
Of bringing You in was a splendid one
aud am immensely obliged to you.
Don't mention it," l answere
stiffly, proceeding with my PREPARATION
for Going cut, as if he were not there
olthonoh must confess that the con